Inter-Cultural Exchange
Developing an architectural proposal in Ghana as a Dutch architect requires a self-conscious and critical position regarding the obvious socioeconomic disparities between the two countries. To achieve an appropriate architecture, patronizing tendencies of western work should be avoided whilst a realistic perspective into the local building industry should be established. A sensible approach to the geography and climate are also essential. Ultimately, instead of attempting to make a ‘typical’ Ghanaian building the design attempts to emphasize the confluence of Western and African design culture.
Urban Acupuncture
In response to the plans to destroy and rebuild the market as a Western modeled shopping mall this design proposes an alternative solution for redevelopment. First a series of personal mappings and anthropological work by Gracia Clark and AbduhMalikh Simone identified what important patterns and systems are essential to the markets functionality as well as what structural deficiencies need urgent attention. Based on the research a strategy of ‘urban acupuncture’ is proposed to reach maximum gain with minimal intervention in the market. This subtle intervention is crucial, because informal and social networks are fundamental to the livelihoods of local traders as well as the general supply and distribution logistics that define the market. Furthermore, market traders survive on a daily wage, which is little above the poverty-line. This thesis thus opposes the dislocation of traders, prolonged disruption of the daily routine, or the wholesale formalization of this vivid and dynamic system, and rather seeks to implement a structure that can gradually be built without requiring total transformation.
Public Amenities
However, while certain positive aspect of the current market are identified, there are serious deficiencies that cause discomfort for traders as well as customers of the market. Bad sanitation, overcrowding, fire-hazard, and bad access, amongst other issues, are part of a daily routine that is far from ideal. Based on interviews, and participation in a daily trading routine, certain problems were identified, and a design brief formulated. The final structure contains an Internet cafe, offices for market officials, a medical and daycare center, a kayayoo (girls that carry groceries) rest-place, a fire- and security post, toilets, and a water storage and acces point. Whilst the design doesn’t attempt to solve all issues and deficiencies, it shows that alternative more delicate strategies can significantly improve life on the market.
Architectural Aesthetic
Although a very cautious strategy was used for the intervention, the proposal uses architecture as an organizational device to make the generic form of the market more legible. In order to create a strong architectural presence, the main structure is lifted above the ground floor and uses a strong pattern based on Kente cloth to create a contrasting aesthetic with the homogeneous roofscape of rusty corrugated steel roofing. Given that the design anticipates expansion, appropriation and modification a clear modular structure is implemented that has a formal resilience and will remain a legible as an integrated yet autonomous architecture on the Kejetia Market.

With the coming of the new railway tunnel in Delft there is a great opportunity to renew the Railway zone of delft and connect different city parts that have been seperated by the viaduct. In my vision a lineair citypark on top of the tunnel combined with dwellings and several public buildings will give the city a new impuls. By creating more leasure spaces in the public space the new park will not only be a route from north to south, but also a place where people can relax or come together to do outdoor activities.
As part of the assignment I made a design for a new Museum that uses the current Bacinol2 building as entrance. The building can be seen as a complex with different building parts: The old building with office space and studio's, the new building with the museum and attached to that studiodwellings. The complex has a courtyard in the middle that connects all these buildingparts. It is a public courtyard that will be open 24/7 and can be seen as an introvert space with sculptures and plants. Here people can relax and take a step from the more busy city park.
The museum houses all sorts of contemporary art. The most striking feature of the museum are the "window boxes" that give a view over the city. They act as orientation points on the route and give the feeling you are standing outside the building.
The staircases are fully glazed and are positioned in the courtyard to also act as orientation points and give a view over the courtyard.
The main theme of this project was therefor not only orientation, but also "to see and be seen".

The heart of the Baixa de Maputo, the place where the city originated from and which now is both the historical centre and part of the Maputo CBD, is under threat of 1.) further deterioration (socially and physically); 2.) losing its identity to the rapid growth of large scale real estate development and 3.) the quickly expanding number of cars in Maputo.
To treat these three issues simultaneously, I propose small scale “acupunctural” interventions aimed specifically at imposing functions on currently vacant sites in the heart of the Baixa. In due time, this will turn the tide of the general deterioration, which is partly due to vacant plots being inhabited by homeless, causing a dirty and generally unsafe environment. Introducing a function of “informal living” on one of the vacant plots offers a solution to both the vacancy of the plot and the dirty environment. Moreover, the large scale property development on the edges of the heart of the Baixa will force only more semi-homeless away from their makeshift homes and onto the streets. Not offering these people a suitable alternative will only further deteriorate the streetscape of the Baixa. By introducing these small scale interventions the character of the heart of the Baixa can be maintained, protecting it from further large scale property development. Encouraging people to live in the Baixa can eventually help limit the number of people having to travel into and away from the Baixa daily.
The design can be summarized as followed: to provide a structure for ‘urban informal living’, adapting the informal settlement typology into a dense urban context.
Based on four ‘pillars’ (uitgangspunten):
1.) an alternative for living on the streets or far outside the Baixa, offering a place to sleep, work and recreate and thus have people ‘living’ in the Baixa;
2.) to be sustainable and self-sufficient (water and waste), to limit costs and react to the currently unstable water and sewage system;
3.) the growing building typology, typical for the informal settlements on the outskirts of the centre of the city, and allowing inhabitants to start off with a very small home, and building on to it as their wealth and family increases;
4.) to be flexible in use over time, to easily adapt to a new function if first function is not successful.

About the transformation of a former laboratory into a short stay establishment. With apartments, swimming pool, fitness a restaurant and a café.
Aim: realizing a luxury establishment while complementing the historical fabric and the sloping landscape.

The graduation studio of RMIT Msc3 (KEMA area, Arnhem, The Netherlands) deals with the industrial territory previously owned by KEMA company - the main inspection service for electronics. The main focus of this project ir oriented towards the enhancement of the characteristics of the natural landscape in Arnhem. The formation of the public building along the river Nederrijn would open the river access for public and attract more people to the territory of KEMA. Therefore, the former Sugar Factory building is transformed into the creative industry centre where three main elements of the city identity meets: the nature, artists and industry.

This R-MIT gradudation project shows a possible transformation of the former power plant of The Hague into a public building. The mixed program consists mostly out of an art museum, combined with a hotel restaurant, cinema, library and a rooftop bar.
This redesign contains:
- Urban analysis and a proposed masterplan
- Architectural & building technological analysis the former poweplant
- Concept
- The proposed transformation